This invention generally relates to racks and other types of chassis for receiving equipment, including but not limited to electronic equipment and the like, and more particularly, to an apparatus for closing off portions of a rack which are not currently being used.
Any of a variety of support frames have been used to receive, and support in desired position, a plurality of circuit boards, modules or similar equipment. Such support frames are often referred to as xe2x80x9cracksxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cchassisxe2x80x9d, which can be used to develop a housing (or cabinet) for receiving desired equipment.
Such cabinets are generally comprised of a series of framing elements that are combined to develop a desired enclosure for the equipment which is to be received in the resulting structure. To this end, a series of brackets is connected between a pair of support plates to develop an open enclosure for receiving desired equipment. For a rack system, top and bottom support plates are connected by a series (often four) of generally vertically oriented framing brackets. For a chassis system, an opposing pair of support plates are connected by a series (often four) of generally horizontally oriented framing brackets. In any event, the framing brackets are then provided with a series of holes for cooperating with equipment which is to be received in the resulting cabinet.
In practice, it has been found to be desirable to enclose cabinets of this general type. For example, it has been found to be important to maintain an effective flow of air through the cabinet, for purposes of cooling the housed equipment. It is also generally desirable to provide the cabinet with a finished look, to provide the cabinet with an aesthetically pleasing overall appearance.
It is common for portions of a resulting cabinet to be filled with equipment, and for other portions of the cabinet to be unfilled. Filled portions of the cabinet are enclosed and finished by the equipment which is received. Unfilled portions of the cabinet are traditionally provided with simulated closures, such as xe2x80x9cface platesxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cdummy platesxe2x80x9d, for completing the facing of the cabinet. In the description which follows, these simulated closures will be referred to as a xe2x80x9cclose-offxe2x80x9d, with the understanding that such close-offs can have any of a variety of configurations, for use in combination with any of a variety of cabinet types and configurations.
A variety of different devices have been developed to close off unused or open areas in a cabinet (rack or chassis) to help promote the effective circulation of air within the cabinet and to provide a uniform surface that is aesthetically pleasing.
A commonly used close-off device generally takes the form of a plate having laterally positioned apertures for alignment with holes in the framing brackets of the cabinet. Screws, or similar fasteners, are then passed through the apertures of the plate, for engagement with the holes in the framing brackets, to secure the plate to an opening in the cabinet. While effective for purposes of closing off unused or open areas in the cabinet, to help promote the effective circulation of air within the cabinet, such close-off devices are not very pleasing in terms of their aesthetics.
For this reason, more elaborate close-off devices have been developed. For example, injection molded parts have been used, which tends to provide a greater degree of flexibility in design and which, as a result, tends to be more aesthetically pleasing. Shaped metal structures can also be used to provide a similar result. In practice, however, such assemblies tend to be unacceptably expensive.
Existing close-off devices also tend to require the use of additional hardware for purposes of being mounted to the framing brackets of the cabinet. This can include hardware for aligning the close-off within the cabinet, and relative to the framing brackets, and hardware for joining the close-off with the framing brackets. In any event, this often requires the use of separate, and plural, pieces of hardware, which can increase installation times and hinder removal of the close-off should the need arise. Separate hardware also has the potential to become separated from the close-off, or lost.
In accordance with the present invention, a close-off is provided which is relatively inexpensive and simple in construction, and which is self-contained to avoid the need for separate mounting hardware.
In its preferred embodiment, the close-off is formed as a generally planar body which is provided with integrated hardware for facilitating the attachment of the close-off to a cabinet, and subsequent detachment of the close-off from the cabinet. The planar body can be stamped from a sheet of material, such as thin sheet metal stock, or can be molded from a suitable plastic material. The planar body preferably incorporates an embossed region, for providing the close-off with structural integrity, and is preferably fitted with integrated latches for securing the close-off to the cabinet. Support features are also preferably mated with the planar body including guide pins and embossed locators for positively locating the close-off relative to the cabinet at a proper height and in a correct orientation.